Jiheishou
by SomeStoryWriter
Summary: A collection of (unchronological) Autistic!Yuuri one shots.
1. Contents

**(1.) Contents**

Below a list of one-shots, with a little summary (as posted on AO3):

* * *

 **2\. Special Interest**

Viktor put his hands on Yuuri's and leaned forward. "Special interests are very important to you, aren't they? They make you happy, right? Don't they, Yuuri?"

* * *

 **3\. Team Effort**

Viktor's going to be home late, so it's up to Yuuri and Yuri to cook dinner.

"Katsudon, what are you doing?"

Yuuri looked around again. "Is this a good time to mention I have executive dysfunction?"

"I don't know what that means, but is it going to interfere with dinner?"

"Maybe."

* * *

 **4\. Sensory Overload**

Viktor knew Yuuri by now. He knew when his partner was excited by something, or stressed, or tired. And he knew when he was sensory overloaded.

* * *

 **5\. The Color of Sound**

Yuri finds out he's not all that ordinary.

"You know, the colors that everything and everyone has. Like, the color of Monday."

Viktor and Otabek don't understand. Yuuri tries to explain.

* * *

 **6\. Where's Wally?**

The skaters are challenged to a competition of finding Wally fastest. Yuuri surprises everyone. "I see everything. It's a superpower."


	2. Special Interest

**I've been walking around for quite a while now with the headcannon that Yuuri is autistic, so I figured I could at least give it a try.** **This is going to be a collection of unchronological Autistic!Yuuri one shots.**

 **I'll add some information here and there for those of you who are less familiar with autism, but only what's necessary for understanding the story. If you feel like something isn't clear and should be explained further (or if you're curious), feel free to say so!  
**

* * *

 **Special Interest**

 **A little side information:**  
 **-The setting is Hasetsu, at Yuuri's parent's house.**  
 **-People with autism often have passions, often (degradingly) called 'obsessions'. I use the term 'special interest' here, because I think it describes it well.  
**

 **お願いします！  
**

* * *

The first thing Yuuri noticed was the brightness of the room. There was more light than normal and it was mildly assaulting his eyes as he blinked sleep away. Part of him wanted to ignore it and snuggle deeper into his bed. His soft, warm bed, with an extra heavy blanked for more sensory comfort. If only the curtains were closed, the sunlight wouldn't shine in his eyes so much.

Wait, who had opened the curtains? Yuuri sat up, rubbing his eyes. He looked around him and jumped when he found someone not too far away from him, going through his things. "Viktor?"

"Ah, good morning, Yuuri. I was in the middle of waking you up, but…"

"What are you looking at?" He pulled the blanket tightly around him and leaned forward, peeking over Viktor's shoulder. "What do you… No!"

"I can't remember half of these photo shoots. I recall this one, but I didn't know they'd made a poster out of it…"

"Please put that away!"

"And this is quite the collection of interviews. Magazines, newspapers…"

"You're getting it wrong, I'm not…"

"Merchandise as well? My, my, Yuuri, who would've thought you were such a fanboy?"

Yuuri started flapping his hands to calm himself down. Viktor was going to dump him. He was going to call him a creep, and then he was going to dump him.

"Yuuri?"

"Yes?" He started rocking back and forth as well. What a nightmare.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

Viktor looked over the evidence once more. When he turned around, Yuuri could tell his expression was different from normal. But what did it mean? If only he could read people's faces…

"Am I a 'special interest' of yours?"

Yuuri could not make eye contact no matter how hard he tried. He feared he might go nonverbal as well if this went on.

"Yuuri?"

What was the socially appropriate response to this? Yes, Viktor was one of the most important things in his life. Yes, he had actively collected posters and merchandise and whatnot. Yes, his heart still jumped whenever he saw that beautiful smile. But what to say? 'No' might hurt Viktor's feelings, making him feel less important than he was. 'Yes' might scare him away altogether.

"I guess you were once. Figure skating in general was a special interest, and still is. And yes, I used to slightly obsess over you. And maybe… I still do? But it's not like you're a hobby or anything! You're so much more than that!"

Viktor smiled. "Is that why you knew how to skate my routines, and even had a dog like mine?"

"And named it after you…" Yuuri mumbled.

Viktor put his hands on Yuuri's and leaned forward. "Special interests are very important to you, aren't they? They make you happy, right? Don't they, Yuuri?"

He nodded and looked away. "But it's nothing like that! I may be slightly obsessed with Viktor the Skater, but you as a person… It's… I don't want you to think that I… It's different, okay?" His own head hurt from the abstract thoughts.

Viktor tilted the other's chin up. "Am I not important to you, Yuuri? Do I not make you happy?"

"You do!" he half shouted. Oh, why was this so complicated? "It's… I don't want you to think of me as a creep, okay? Yes, I've been tracking you for years. But I'm not dating you because you're my idol. I think I'll always be fascinated by Viktor the Skater. But I'd love you even if you'd never been near an ice rink."

"So, I _am_ a special interest?"

Yuuri groaned and dropped his head on Viktor's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I get it. This means I hold two special places in your heart. I do like that idea."

"You don't mind?"

"As long as you'll be _my_ special interest. Which involves me dragging you downstairs for breakfast, because I know you like to have your meals at set times, which means, now."

"You're hungry, aren't you?"

"Japanese food is the best. Let's go." He gave Yuuri a peck on his lips and dragged him along.

* * *

Viktor stared at him during breakfast. "Is there something on my face?" Yuuri asked between bites.

"I've read somewhere that love and special interests are very much alike. I guess that means you have a lot of love in you, Yuuri. No wonder you make such a great Eros. Passion is nothing new to you."

Yuuri blushed. "So, you really don't mind the posters?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course I do!"

"Huh? But…"

"Why are they hidden away like that? I didn't go through all those photo shoots just to be shoved in a drawer! If you don't hang them on your walls, maybe I will."

Yuuri laughed. "You know, you can be a bit weird sometimes."

"So can you. But that's what makes you e-special-ly interesting."

Yuuri groaned. "Why did I ever fall in love with someone who makes such bad jokes?"

"Who knows? More importantly: we're late."

"Huh?"

"We're expected at the rink in five minutes."

"And you didn't say anything!"

Viktor smiled sheepishly. "I forgot? I guess I was too busy with my specia—"

"Don't you dare!"

* * *

After a long day of training, Yuuri collapsed on his bed. He was disturbed, however, by Viktor knocking on his door. "Yuuri! Your special interest demands your attention! He hasn't seen you all day!"

"What are you, a Tamagotchi?"

"If that means you'll play with me…"

Yuuri caught sight of the pile of posters. "How about a redecorating mini game?"

They spent the rest of the day coming up with possible compositions on Yuuri's walls. It was a combination of special interests, and both of them loved it.


	3. Team Effort

**This is based on a request by AspergianStoryteller. I wasn't able to spend as much time on it as I'd wanted to, so I hope you'll like it. I plan to involve Yuri more in the future.**

* * *

 **Team Effort**

Yuuri was feeling rather tired. Dizzy, too. He hadn't done that much today, though. Yuri was staying over, and after practice, the two of them had gone sightseeing. Viktor would come to the apartment later. That's what he had said, but there was still no sign of him.

"It's nice that Viktor's going to make _oyakodon_ for dinner," Yuri said, "but how is he going to do that if he isn't here?"

Ah, food. Yuuri now understood why he was feeling rather bad: he had completely forgotten to have lunch. Yuri had bought something from a vending machine, but Yuuri had decided to eat something at home. Which he had wanted to do. It just hadn't happened.

"I'm going to call Viktor," Yuri said, getting out his phone. "I want dinner, and that bastard's supposed to be making it right now." He dialed the number and waited, tapping his fingers on the armrest of the couch. Viktor picked up, and what followed was a conversation in rapid Russian, which Yuuri was unable to follow, despite the language course he was following.

Yuri hung up and dropped his phone next to him on the couch. "The bastard says he's going to be late. He asked if we could make dinner."

"Is there a recipe?"

"In the kitchen."

They found a piece of paper with handwritten Russian on it. "I can't cook and you can't read Russian well enough," Yuri said.

"So, you'll read and I'll cook?"

"Correct." He scanned the paper. "Okay, step one..."

"I usually do all the cutting beforehand, so I don't have to think about that anymore once I've lit the stove."

"Fine. Let's get to it, then."

Yuuri looked around him. He reached for the fridge, pulled back again. He turned around, indecisively. He moved to the cutlery drawer, but at the last moment, he turned to the cupboard with the bowls. He didn't open it, however.

"Katsudon, what are you doing?"

Yuuri looked around again. "Is this a good time to mention I have executive dysfunction?"

"I don't know what that means, but is it going to interfere with dinner?"

"Maybe. I don't cook often, but when I do, I write down every step I have to take beforehand. If I don't, then I have no idea what to do. I want to cut the vegetables, but without knowing the specific steps necessary, it's not going to happen."

Yuri opened his mouth. Closed it again. "I'm hungry. I want dinner. I'll do anything you ask. Do you need me to recite the recipe as if it were a Shakespeare poem?"

"I need you to break it down for me in tiny steps. I can't look ahead. Tell me what I need to do right now. Then say the next step. And the next. Pretend I've never been in a kitchen before."

Yuri nodded and read the recipe. "Grab the vegetables."

"Not nearly specific enough."

"Take the vegetables from the fridge."

"Getting closer."

Yuri looked up. "Open the fridge."

"Now we're talking." Yuuri opened the fridge and waited.

"Grab the vegetables."

"Which ones?"

"Um... Onions, green onions, mushrooms and carrots."

" _Tamanegi, negi, shiitake to ninjin_... Got them."

"Put them on the counter. Hey, Katsudon, don't forget to close the fridge!"

"Then say so!"

"Now I understand why it takes you so long to learn new skating moves!"

"But when I do learn them, I almost become world champion."

"Touché. Now, open that drawer. Grab a knife. Open that drawer. Wait, close the first one! You're even more chaotic than I am..."

After a lot of initial panicking, they fell into a smooth rhythm. "Now pour the egg into the pan. Stir. Put the lid on. And now wait for that bastard to come home."

Said bastard was met with a delicious scent upon entering the apartment. " _Tadaima_!" He pulled off his shoes and coat and walked into the kitchen. "Did you two find the recipe?"

Yuri looked up from a crumpled piece of paper, his face red as if he'd just skated a routine. "I didn't know there were so many steps to beating an egg."

Yuuri threw his arms around Viktor's neck. "I'm tired..."

Viktor smiled. "Why don't you two sit down? I'll serve the bowls."

The two nearly ran out of the kitchen and flung themselves on the couch, not intending to move anymore. Viktor lifted the lid of the pan. "Looks good! Maybe I should let you cook more often."

"No!" came the collective cry.

Viktor smiled as he filled the bowls with rice. Part of him had expected to find their kitchen burned down.

The three of them had dinner without saying much; they were all tired. After a few hours, Viktor decided to be the responsible one. "Yurio, bedtime."

"You can't tell me..."

"We're going to the cat cafe tomorrow, remember? You'll have to get up earlier than usual, and still have enough energy to pet all the..."

Yuri grabbed his toothbrush and stormed into the bathroom.

"I guess I'll do the dishes and go to bed as well," Yuuri said.

"I'll help."

They went into the kitchen, where Yuuri stared at the dirty bowls. He knew he had to turn on the tap. He imagined his hand reaching out. It didn't happen.

"Is that executive dysfunction bothering you again?" Viktor asked, kissing him on his cheek. "I'll wash and you'll dry, okay?" He handed Yuuri the towel and they got started.

"I don't think I'll ever get Yurio to cook with me again," Yuuri said.

"It tasted great, though. I should come home late more often."

"Don't you dare." He placed the last bowl back in the cupboard and instantly felt arms around his waist. He turned around and wrapped his arms around Viktor's neck. "We might have to protect the cats from Yurio tomorrow."

"And we might have to protect ourselves when we try to drag him away." He first kissed Yuuri's forehead, then the tip of his nose, then his lips. Yuuri responded by playing with the hair between his fingers. He leaned back against the countertop as Viktor kissed down his neck. "Dessert's delicious as well..."

Yuuri blushed and turned Viktor around, pushing him against the countertop. "Then again, cooking with me is often a team effort..." he whispered before starting to undo the buttons on Viktor's shirt.

Viktor smiled and kissed him eagerly, allowing him to take the lead. Yuuri's hands teased, explored, and...

"Not having that 'executive dysfunction' anymore, I see."

They both jumped in surprise. Yuri was standing next to them, clad in baby blue pajamas with cute cats all over it.

"Hey there, Yurio!" Viktor smiled and waved.

"How long have you been standing there already?" Yuuri asked.

Yuri looked from one to the other. "Go to bed. The cats are waiting for us." He turned around and left without saying another word.

Viktor gave Yuuri one last kiss before they prepared for bed as well. They brushed their teeth, put on their pajamas and turned off the lights in the living room, where Yuri had already curled himself up in his futon. "You're going to have to explain that 'executive dysfunction' to me some time," he grumbled, "but even so... Perhaps we could cook together more often? It was chaos, but... I like chaos."

Yuuri smiled. "Of course, any time! Goodnight, Yurio!"

"Goodnight, Katsudon. And you too, bastard."

"Goodnight, Yurio!" Viktor chanted. "Don't let Makkachin lick your face while you're sleeping!"

"Wait, what?"

"Okay, that's enough excitement for tonight," Yuuri said, dragging Viktor along into their bedroom. He closed the curtains and crawled into the bed, where Viktor was already waiting for him. He placed his glasses on the nightstand and curled up against the body next to him. "Sleep well," Viktor said, nuzzling his hair. "Busy day tomorrow."

They listened to Yuri and Makkachin in the living room. "What are you doing? No, don't sit on me. Oof! You're heavy..."

Yuuri softly chuckled.

"I have something to confess," Viktor whispered, stroking his hair. "I could have made it home in time to make dinner. But I thought it would be nice for Yurio to cooperate with you on something. He tends to do everything on his own, but sometimes you have to work together with others."

"He seemed to enjoy it. And I must admit, it gave me quite a confidence boost as well. A few hours ago, I couldn't even bring myself to make lunch, and yet I've made a dinner for three. I can do anything! With some instructions, that is."

Viktor chuckled. "Love, I've told you before, don't hesitate to put up notes. I don't care if you tape the laundry instructions onto the washing machine."

"Careful what you say. I might start a sticky note invasion." He gasped. "But those come in different colors and shapes! Food-shaped sticky notes for food-related things, blue ones for water-related chores... And they might have dog-shaped ones for Makkachin-chores!"

"I feel a new project coming up."

"This is going to be amazing..."

Viktor smiled and kissed his temple. "Goodnight, love."

" _Oyasumi_."

They fell asleep, listening to Yuri's struggles. "No, stay there! No, don't do that! Come on, good dogs don't lick! Don't you dare! Oh, nevermind..."

* * *

 **So, the other day I stumbled across the term 'executive dysfunction', and I thought, wow, someone's put it in words! All this time I just thought I had a chaotic or slow mind or something, but it turns out that this is quite a common thing related to autism, AD(H)D and such. I got a bit excited and decided to write a story around it.**

 **So basically, executive dysfunction causes problems with planning and estimating/managing time. It also makes it difficult to start on things. I'll open my books to start on homework, and think 'I'm going to start now. Right now. Now.' and nothing's happening. I might know in detail how to do something, but the action itself isn't happening. Same thing with food, which means I forget to eat very often.** **When I have a 3-step recipe, I usually turn it into 15-20 steps just to make sure I won't get stuck halfway through cooking. Otherwise I might forget things or take too long to perform one task.**

 **I find that making lists and schedules help. Without them I become very apathic and get nothing done. When I start living on my own, I think I'll literally tape the laundry instructions onto the washing machine. I might also put up a whiteboard and list all the things I need to do that day, to keep things clear in my mind. And yes, the sticky note invasion is a real plan hehe.**

 **Like I said, I didn't have much time to work on this story, so I'm sorry if it didn't turn out that well. I simply got excited about my new discovery and couldn't stop myself from writing about it.**

 **Have a beautiful day!**


	4. Sensory Overload

**Sensory Overload**

 **Side information:**

 **-People with autism can be very sensitive. This means that every stimulus (sound, touch, smell, etc.) enters the brain unfiltered. When there are too many stimuli, the brain gets 'overloaded', and this is called sensory overload.**

 **-Sensory overload, along with other things, such as disruption of routine, can lead to a 'meltdown'. This can be expressed in many ways. Some get very angry or upset, others turn into themselves and temporarily cut themselves off from the outside world. Using/processing speech may also become difficult or impossible, causing the person to go nonverbal. In general, meltdowns are very exhausting.**

 **-Every person with autism is different, and the things described are not necessarily the case for everyone.**

* * *

Viktor knew Yuuri by now. He knew when his partner was excited by something, or stressed, or tired. And he knew when he was sensory overloaded.

The first thing he noticed was how Yuuri's eyes darted everywhere, unfocused. The reporters were visibly bothered by the lack of eye contact. Their irritation crept into their voices as well as Yuuri kept asking them to repeat the questions. On top of that, his answers were getting shorter and shorter, and grammatically incorrect as well. But Viktor was the only one who noticed all the other signs: the subtle rocking back and forth, the way he continuously scratched his upper legs, the tense muscles in his back.

Today had been a rather Yuuri-unfriendly day. Breakfast had been postponed due to an unexpected visit from the journalists who were supposed to interview them later that day. When they did eat, it was something they'd bought in the canteen by the skating rink. The texture of the food was all wrong, but Yuuri ate it without complaining.

Next up was a figure skating introductory course, given by Yuuri himself. He did this every once in a while, as it was a win-win situation: the town received more tourists and he was able to info dump about his special interest. Today, however, the group consisted of a bunch of women who just wouldn't stop touching him. "Were you nervous during the finals?" one asked, touching his shoulder. "Do you train every day?" another wanted to know, touching his arm. Touching, touching, touching. Viktor could tell how uncomfortable it made Yuuri, so he skated over to the group to serve as a distraction. It worked. Now they were touching _him_.

Lunch was even worse than breakfast. They were again condemned to the canteen, only this time it was a lot more crowded. Yuuri had put in earpieces to block out the noise, but he had to take them out when people came to him for autographs and such. And, again, they touched him. Why was it so hard for people to keep a little distance? Even Viktor couldn't touch him as he pleased, let alone some random strangers.

And then there was the press conference. Which was held at a different time than agreed upon. And at a different location. And with twice as many reporters as planned. As for the questions, those were unexpected as well. "How do you feel social media had influenced the competitive spirit in figure skating?" Too vague. Too abstract. Too many eyes demanding an answer.

Viktor placed a hand on Yuuri's shoulder and inwardly scolded himself when it made the other tense even more. "If it's too much, we'll leave," he whispered in his ear. "It's been a messy day. There's no need to push yourself any further."

Yuuri nodded. He turned towards the reporters. "I'm afraid we'll have to end here. Viktor and I both have rather strict training programs to stick to." The reporters protested, but he stood up from the table anyway.

"Mister Nikiforov, what exactly is your relationship with Mister Katsuki at the moment?"

Viktor smiled as he held Yuuri's coat up for him. "Well, I must admit that lately I've been rather... engaged with Yuuri. He takes up a lot of my attention, you see."

"There are rumours that you and Mister Katsuki are engaged."

"That's what I just said."

"Yes, but, I meant 'engaged to be married'. Are you and Mister Katsuki romantically involved? What exactly are your feelings towards him?"

"Well, he is quite a powerful Eros, isn't he?"

"But..."

"That'll be all." He followed Yuuri out of the room. "Hey, how are you holding up?" he asked once they were walking side by side along the road.

Yuuri only shook his head.

"That bad, huh? Let's get you home soon."

They walked in silence. Yuuri started flapping his hands, but not out of excitement. He went on to scratching his arms, until Viktor stopped him. "Don't. You'll hurt yourself. Here." He handed him a bean bag instead.

"I… I… I'm… I… Mm… S… S…"

"You can write it down if you want. Or you can text it to me."

Yuuri groaned in frustration. He hated going nonverbal. It was never convenient, and it irritated him to no end.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up so much. We're almost home. Take a nap, or relax in the _onsen_ ; do whatever's necessary _._ " He noticed the shiver in Yuuri's breath and the tears in his eyes. He wrapped an arm around him, only to have the other jump away from him. "Sorry, I forgot..." It was such an instinctive reaction, to hug someone when they were upset. But he had to keep reminding himself to not do this with Yuuri.

As soon as they arrived at Yu-topia, Yuuri hurried to his bedroom. He didn't turn the lights on; he even closed the curtains. The light was hurting his head. He was in the process of putting on the softest clothes he could find when Viktor walked in. "Do you need anything?" he asked.

Yuuri shook his head, hoping Viktor would leave the room. He didn't. Yuuri groaned softly. As much as he loved Viktor, he could not have him around right now, or anyone for that matter. Sounds, including voices, hurt. Viktor's eyes were bright and made Yuuri's skin crawl with their intensity. On top of that, he could smell him. He didn't smell bad, it was just that Yuuri didn't want to smell anything at the moment. He wished he could yank his nerves out and not feel anything anymore.

"Do you want me to stay?"

Yuuri shook his head wildly. His face turned red. What if he had just insulted Viktor by so clearly not wanting him around? The thought brought tears from frustration to his eyes.

"I'll check in with you in half an hour, okay?" And with that, he left the room.

Yuuri crawled into his bed and tried to ignore the world. It didn't work too well: he could hear the people downstairs, the wind outside, his own breathing. He felt the weight of the blanket, the seams in his clothes, his own heartbeat. He had tried to explain to people what it was like, but few took him seriously. "Oh, I know, I'm super sensitive as well!" they'd say. "I don't like the sand on the beach, and I can't stand it when people yell at me!" Yuuri wondered if they truly understood what he was talking about. He wondered if they knew what it was like to notice everything, without trying to, without getting used to it.

* * *

Yuuri spent nearly an hour in the dark and silence. His mind cleared up, his body eased. He opened the curtains, but decided to keep his comfortable clothes on. He shuffled down the stairs and found both Viktor and his mother in the kitchen, cooking. "Smells good..."

"Ah, you're up!" Viktor continued stirring in a pan. "We thought you might prefer a familiar taste, so we're making katsudon."

"I'm teaching Viktor how to make it," his mother said.

"Might come in handy, don't you think? Someday, when you and I are living together, I do want to be able to spoil you."

"Viktor, the tonkatsu is burning!"

"Oh! Yuuri, have a seat while I rescue your meal."

Yuuri curled up in front of the low dinner table. He watched the other two move around the kitchen, and his stomach growled loudly to the scent of his favorite dish.

"My, my, we'd better hurry!" Viktor chanted. He carried the bowls over to the table and pressed a kiss to Yuuri's temple. "Take it easy tonight. There's no need to push your boundaries any further."

"I'm sor—"

"Let's eat! I'm starving! Here, taste this!" He grabbed the chopsticks and shoved a piece of tonkatsu into Yuuri's mouth. "How is it? Did I do any good?"

Yuuri chewed and nodded. "It's delicious."

"Yes!"

"Look, I'm sor—"

"Open up!" He shoved another bite into Yuuri's mouth.

"Viktor!"

"Yes?"

"I can finally speak again, so can I just say something without you interrupting me?"

"What do you mean?" He reached for the chopsticks again.

"Viktor!"

"Okay, okay. What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Today... I'm sorry for breaking down like that."

Viktor opened his arms. "Can I hug you?"

Yuuri nodded and dove into Viktor's embrace.

"Yuuri?"

"Yes?"

"If I were to break my leg, would you be mad at me for having to recover?"

"Of course not."

"Then what are you apologizing for?"

"But I..."

"You've had a bad day. You've crossed your limits. It's only natural you'd need some rest. Don't make such a big deal out if it, silly." He squeezed him against his chest.

"But I walked out on those reporters."

"Those reporters were being inconsiderate. Even I got ticked off by them. Hey, love..." He held Yuuri's face between both his hands. "Most days are wonderful. And every now and then, there are also days like these. Nothing to be ashamed of."

"But I made you..."

"Shush." He squeezed his face between his hands. "The katsudon is getting cold. You can worry about insignificant things later. But right now, open up!"

"How does it taste, boys?" Yuuri's mother asked, joining them.

" _Oishiiyo. Vikutoru ni yoku oshieta ne_."

"I heard my name!" Viktor said, hugging Yuuri from the side. "My Japanese is improving!"

The other two laughed and they started on their katsudon.

"I'll clean off," Viktor said once they were finished. He swiftly collected the bowls and carried them to the kitchen.

Yuuri's mother leaned closer. "I want him as my son-in-law."

Yuuri laughed and blushed. "Mom, please!" He held his hand with the ring up. "I'm working on it."

"You'd better hold on to this guy, Yuuri. He really, really cares about you. Come here." She pulled him into a hug. "You know I've always wanted you to be happy. I've always hoped that one day, you'd find someone who accepts you for who you are, and won't force you to change or prove yourself. Someone who really, truly loves you. And I think you've found that someone."

"I have?"

"Yes. I think he's standing in our kitchen right now."

She let go of him and he stretched his limbs. "These meltdowns always leave me with muscle aches..."

"Not that strange. Why don't you relax for a bit in the _onsen_?"

"Did I hear someone say ' _onsen_ '?" Viktor rejoined them at the table.

"Yeah, I'm a bit sore. Will you join me?"

"Of course!" He pulled Yuuri up and they headed out.

* * *

"Ah..." Yuuri leaned his head back as the warm water washed away his pain.

"Does that feel good?"

"Definitely."

Viktor wrapped an arm around him and pulled him against his chest, to which Yuuri snuggled up. "My mom wants us to hurry up and get married already."

Viktor laughed. "You should have seen the look on her face when I asked her if she could teach me how to make katsudon, so I could make it for you in the future. She said that if she can't have me as her son-in-law, she'll just have to adopt me."

Yuuri laughed as well. "No pressure, mom."

They cuddled together in the warm water. Yuuri enjoyed the feeling of Viktor's arms around him, his heartbeat, his chest rising and falling. He didn't always curse his sensitivity. On moments like these, it made his world a little more colorful.

* * *

 **I thought we'd end on a positive note.**

 **Have a beautiful day!**


	5. The Color Of Sound

**Yurio is back!**

 **I got a little sidetracked here, but I couldn't help myself (again). Enjoy something either very relatable or very confusing.**

 **Have a beautiful day!**

* * *

 **The Color Of Sound**

"What did the cafeteria lady do to you?" Viktor asked as they untied their skates in the locker room. The four of them – Yuuri, Viktor, Yuri, and Otabek – had just finished their training.

"She just reminds me of you," Yuri grumbled.

"How? Do I hand over straws in the same way or something?"

"No, just…" He pulled one of his skates from his foot. "She's the same kind of pink."

"Say that again?"

Yuri struggled with the ties. "She's the same kind of shocking pink. It hurts my head, as if I'm looking directly at the sun."

It was silent for a moment.

"I think he's rather white and blue," Yuuri said.

"No, you're the blue one." Yuri rubbed his sore feet for a moment.

"Can someone explain this?" Viktor asked. He looked at Otabek, who shrugged.

Yuri stretched his legs. "You know, the colors that everything and everyone has. Like, the color of Monday."

"Does Monday have a color?" Otabek asked.

"Yes! Why are you two acting like this is new to you?"

"Yurio," Yuuri said, "associating things with colors isn't that common."

"What are you talking about? Doesn't everyone do this?"

"Definitely not," Viktor said. "So, what is the color of Monday?"

"Yellow, of course! Stop acting like I'm the weird one here!"

"It's called synesthesia," Yuuri said, "and it's not as common as you might think."

"What are you talking about?" Yuri looked at Viktor and Otabek. "What else would you see when you think about a day?"

"Nothing," Viktor said. "Nothing at all."

"How would you even?" Otabek marveled.

"Again, it's called synesthesia," Yuuri said, zipping up his bag. "It means that two or more senses get mixed up. Some people can hear colors, or taste sounds. We both connect visual aspects to abstract things."

"What the hell…" Yuri closed his locker with force. "Are you trying to tell me that something completely normal to me, isn't normal at all?"

"I can assure you, it's not," Viktor said.

"It's associated with creativity," Yuuri said. "It's not that rare among artists. People with autism also have a higher chance of having it."

"So, it's like a superpower?" Otabek asked. "I can imagine you could do some cool things with it." He smiled at Yuri, who turned a slight shade of pink.

"If you want to see it that way," Yuuri chuckled. "It does help you remember things more easily. And it's pretty, all those colors."

"I'm learning new things every day," Viktor muttered, pulling on his coat.

They left the ice rink and went to a café nearby. When Yuuri and Viktor were busy talking to each other – and, to Yuri's horror, flirting with each other–, Otabek moved closer to Yuri. "So, colors," he said. "Just the days of the week and people?"

"Dates, numbers, sounds, everything."

"What about music?"

Yuri played with his straw. "Music, too. You know how on the computer, when you play a song, you get these colorful visuals that jump around in shapes? Like in Windows Media Player. That's my mind when I listen to music. It actually helps me come up with choreographies, watching those visuals in my head."

"Amazing." He scooted even closer. "What color am I?"

Yuri looked down. "Yellow."

"Cool." Otabek took a sip from his drink. "Wait a minute, isn't yellow your favorite color?"

Yuri turned bright red. "Yes, so?"

Otabek smiled and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, leaving Yuri with an even redder face and a sweet taste in his mouth.

"You know, I'm not so surprised that you get overwhelmed easily," Viktor murmured in Yuuri's ear. "And now I also know where your crazy memory comes from."

"My head is a bit full sometimes. But it's not really a bother, or anything."

Viktor hummed and nuzzled Yuuri's hair.

"You know, your voice is green, with golden and water-colored undertones."

He chuckled. "I'm trying to picture it."

"I can't really explain it."

Viktor stroked his face. "I often wish I could look inside your head."

"You'd see lots of blood and brain tissue."

"Oh, you know what I mean." He pulled Yuuri against him.

"We should do a duet sometime," Otabek said.

Yuri nearly spat out his drink. "A duet?"

"Yeah. I'll come up with the music, and then you tell me what you see. We could bring those visuals to live on the ice. I'm sure it'll be an interesting and original performance."

"My brain is pretty chaotic."

"Then it'll be an energetic program. Or do you think I won't be able to keep up with you?"

"No, that's not…"

"Then let's give it a try."

Yuri blushed once again as he sipped on his drink. Today was a pleasantly orange and yellow day.


	6. Where's Wally?

**For those of you who don't know what Where's Wally (USA: Where's Waldo) is: the goal is to find one figure, Wally, among a whole bunch of people. Over time, more and more characters were added. Look it up on Google Images and you'll have quite a good idea of what it looks like.**

* * *

"There he is!" Viktor pointed at a little guy, hidden among all the other drawn figures. "That's the last one! What's my time?"

Yuri stopped the stopwatch. "Ten minutes and fifteen seconds. You broke the record."

"Yes!" He turned towards the camera. "Then all that's left for me to do, is to nominate Yuuri next. Let's see if you can break this record as well, love."

"Yuck." Yuri stopped filming and handed the phone to Viktor, who added a few tags before posting the video.

The front door opened and closed. " _Tadaima_."

"Yuuri! Perfect timing!" Viktor held up the picture book. "It's your turn!"

"Who challenged me?"

"I did. And I broke the record."

"The person who came up with this must really hate us," Yuri grumbled. "Who thinks to themselves, 'Hey, let's challenge some medal-winning figure skaters to find a shitty figure among other shitty figures?'"

"I used to be pretty good at this as a kid," Yuuri said, sitting down at the table. He handed Viktor his phone for filming.

"Ten charts. Ten Wallys. Are you ready?" Yuri held up the stopwatch.

Yuuri nodded, and the 'beep' told him to start. He took a moment to memorize the image he'd be looking for and opened the book. The first chart appeared, and he spotted Wally within half a minute. Second chart. Only ten seconds. Third chart. Fifteen seconds.

"Yuuri, how?" Viktor marveled.

"Told you I'm good at this. Ah, look! And... there!" The next one took longer to find, a whole minute. After that, he picked up his pace again. "There's Wally! And there's his girlfriend!"

"We're not looking for the girlfriend," Yuri said.

"I know, but I saw her. Anyway... There's Wally! And... there!"

"One more to go, sweetheart."

" _Anou_... _Chotto_... Ah! Found him!"

Yuri pressed a button, stopping the timer.

"What's my time?"

"I don't want to say it."

"Come on," Viktor whined.

"Three minutes and thirty-seven seconds."

"Wow, Yuuri, you broke the record!"

"I guess I did! I nominate Phichit next. Bye!"

Viktor stopped the recording. There was a silence.

"Alien," Yuri said.

"Genius," Viktor opposed. "How did you do that so quickly? Especially the one on the beach."

"Beach?" Yuuri opened the book again. "Oh, hey, they're on a beach."

"How did you not see that?"

"I see details first, the whole picture later."

"Like I said, an alien," Yuri muttered.

"An alien who just broke the record," Yuuri countered.

"Whatever. I'm out of here. Viktor, you said you'd drive me to the station."

"Sure. Are you coming too, love?"

Yuuri nodded and pulled on his coat. They headed out and Yuri got into the back of the car, Viktor and Yuuri in the front. "So, you've broken my record again, huh?" Viktor said, starting the engine. "Seems to be a habit these days."

"Better get used to it," Yuuri said.

"Is that a threat?"

"Perhaps. Or maybe it's a promise."

"Mm... I'm keeping you to that." He smiled and laced his fingers through Yuuri's.

"Gross," it sounded from behind.

"My mom once got me a Where's Wally book," Yuuri said. "It was supposed to keep me busy for at least an hour, but I was finished within ten minutes."

"You sure saw them quickly."

"I see everything. It's a superpower."

"Then how come you never drive?" Yuri asked. "Sounds like you'd do a great job."

"Actually, it's a bit hard to focus on the road when I get distracted by every bird flying across the sky. It's safer if Viktor drives and I control the radio."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," Viktor said, squeezing his hand. "You could be a superhero, in a manga or something. At day, Yuuri-kun. At night, Super Katsudon."

Yuuri laughed. "With you and Makkachin as my sidekicks?"

"Definitely."

* * *

Viktor parked the car and they accompanied Yuri into the station. As they headed for the right platform, a train arrived, pouring a crowd of people in their direction. Yuuri tried to stay close to Viktor, but then someone cut in between them, and another one, and another, until he had lost sight. With people moving all around him and the noise intensifying, he found himself at a loss for what to do. Was there an exit? A quick way out? If he ran away now, would he be able to find Viktor back?

Focus, he thought. Find some structure in this mess. With his hands covering his ears, he climbed onto a bench and looked around him. He took a few seconds to picture some characteristic elements about Viktor's appearance. And then he started looking.

Five seconds. That's how long it took him to find Viktor in the crowd. He was with Yuri, looking around him while the train doors opened. He said his goodbyes and after Yuri got in, he started moving across the platform, searching, not knowing he'd already been found. Yuuri smiled to himself and rang Viktor's phone.

"Yuuri, where are you?"

"Stay right where you are. Don't move. I'm coming towards you."

"Okay, then."

Yuuri climbed off the bench and walked over to Viktor, who was looking in the opposite direction. A light tap on his shoulder did the trick. "Hey."

"Yuuri!" Viktor threw his arms around him. "My Super Katsudon came to my rescue after all."

Yuuri laughed. "Am I a superhero yet?"

"A real one."

They headed for the exit, hand in hand so they wouldn't lose each other again. Once back in the car, Viktor checked his phone. "Phichit's done the challenge as well. He's the last one. Let's see... Ah, you won! Yuuri, you won the Where's Wally challenge!"

Yuuri checked his phone as well. Yuri had already posted a reaction: _Alien_.

 _Superhero_ , Viktor responded.

 _Alien_

 _Superhero!_

 _Alien!_

 _Superhero!_

 _Yuuri, congratulations!_ Phichit commented, followed by Chris and others.

"This," Viktor said, "does give me the certainty that if we lose each other, you'll be able to find me in no time. Faster than Wally."

"That's because you're more important to find than Wally."

Viktor smiled and kissed him. They drove home, stopping at the supermarket for ingredients for katsudon. Yuuri had won, after all.


End file.
